"Remind me, why exactly I am going to a charity gala with you?" A confused John Silver asks James Flint, his date for the night.
Flint glares at him before rolling his eyes, "For the fifth time this evening, Woodes Rogers is going to be there." Flint looks at John hoping that Silver is following his train of thought; Silver, however, stares back blankly. Flint closes his eyes and sighs loudly, "And this is the only chance we are going to have to get his fingerprints if we want to break into his company safe and rob the bastard of every penny."
Silver withholds his internal sigh and tries to ignore the fact that Flint and he are sharing a room while getting changed into very expensive tailored suits, his eyes keep wandering to the white shirt stretching over Flint's back and shoulders. Closing his eyes and taking a breath, Silver focuses on the buttons of his own black shirt.
"I get that part, but why am I going with you?" He asks, Flint has expressed his distaste of Silver on many an occasion, blaming Silver for almost costing him years worth of work by almost exposing Flint's plan to rob Rogers to a close associate of Rogers. "Surely, Eleanor would be a better date, she knows Rogers, they used to date didn't they?" Silver responds, his eyes are drawn to Flint's fingers as they fiddle with the cuff links on the white shirt.
"They did, it did not end well, which is why she is helping us rob him." Flint begins distractedly, his focus still on his cufflinks as they refuse to co-operate with him. After a few seconds of silence, Flint finally succeeds and pulls the sleeves of his shirt so it reaches his wrists properly. "The second that Rogers saw Eleanor he would immediately be on his guard, we need him to believe that everything is under his control. He knows Eleanor's feelings for him, and he knows that the only reason she would attend the same function as he would be to do something against him." Flint explains, turning towards the mirror on the wall while sorting his tie, the blue fabric making his ginger hair seem brighter, Silver starts fiddling with his own cufflinks. Flint notices Silver's struggle and walks over to the younger man, he takes hold of Silver's wrist with one hand and the cufflink with the other. It takes all of Silver's self-control not to shiver as the warmth of Flint's hand burns itself into his skin like an invisible brand. "Rogers doesn't know you, as far as he is concerned you are a pretty face on my arm, nothing suspicious about you."
Silver's head snaps up, his gaze leaving Flint's fingers as they finish one cufflink and begin to sort the other, "You think I'm pretty?" He forces a smile on his lips, aiming to look more teasing than hopeful.
Flint looks up from his work to meet Silver's eyes and Silver has the sudden uncomfortable feeling that Flint can see right through him. Instead of offering any verbal response, Flint merely smirks before pulling Silver's shirt sleeves so they sit properly on his wrists before handing Silver the black tie.
Silver instead reaches for his suit jacket, ignoring the tie hanging from Flint's hand, at Flint's questioning look Silver shrugs his shoulders, "I'm not wearing a tie…" Flint continues to stare, waiting for an explanation. "It just makes it easier for you to choke me if I say something wrong." Silver can't bring himself to look Flint in the eye and instead looks to the mirror as he puts on the dark navy jacket and gives himself a look over.
He looks good, the suit fits him perfectly, the tailoring serving to broaden his shoulders and taper his waist. His black hair effortlessly curled and shiny under the lights, the conditioner he used making it soft to the touch. His eyes once again dart to Flint, he has put on his own Persian blue suit jacket and is watching Silver admire himself. Silver's eyes watch as Flint gives him a once over, he wonders if he imagines it as Flint's eyes hover slightly longer on his ass - however, his comment on Silver being 'pretty' makes the thought stray longer in his head that it normally would.
Flint beckons Silver back over to him with his hand, and Silver feels unconsciously pulled towards the man whose blue suit has made his ginger hair almost luminous. Silver stops before Flint and stumbles slightly when Flint tugs him closer by the lapel of his jacket, Silver must look like a dear in headlights as he watches as Flint unbuttons the top two buttons of Silver's shirt, however, once he's finished with the buttons he doesn't let go, instead, he pulls Silver forward, even more, their faces inches from each other.
"Luckily for you then, Mr. Silver," Flint begins, his voice low and rumbling, making butterflies of either fear or arousal begin to flutter in the pit of Silver's stomach. "You are much more useful to me alive than dead."
Just when Silver feels as though he can no longer breathe, Flint pulls away and heads towards the door, turning when Silver does not immediately follow. Silver snaps himself out of the daze he is in, checks his reflection once more before following Flint out of the room.
xXx
Just as Silver expected the gala was filled with rich people wearing expensive clothes talking about how generous they were for attending. Silver hated the lot of them, growing up in an orphanage wasn't a pleasant experience, his one in particular relied heavily upon rich people's donations, never enough for the kids to be comfortable just enough to have the basic necessities. Looking at them all tonight, he knows they could all happily afford to support the orphanage so that the kids were properly cared for, but they choose not to.
Flint must notice his glaring as he places a hand at the small of Silver's back and leads them towards the bar to get a drink that isn't champagne, the light touch making a small warmth erupt in Silver's stomach. Silver smirks at the tumbler of whiskey Flint ordered for him.
Silver glances over to Flint's face to find the ginger's eyes scanning the crowd, looking for one face, in particular, Silver knows when he's found it by the way Flint's jaw and shoulders tense. Following his line of sight, Silver can see Woodes Rogers surrounded by a group of men all eager for his attention.
"So, are you going to tell me how we are going to get his fingerprints or not?" Silver asks, Flint's eyes tear away from Rogers and his blue eyes meet Silver's.
Placing his drink back on the bar top, Flint then turns fully to face Silver and undoes another button on Silver's shirt, his fingers grazing the golden skin of Silver's chest. To Silver's dismay, Flint notices the hitch in breath at the contact and Silver sees a thought pass across Flint's face before Flint is pulling him closer by his shirt until they are pressed up against each other.
"Rogers is watching," Flint's voice is nothing more than a mumble, his breath hitting Silver's neck and Silver finds himself reaching up until his arms rest around Flint's neck, playing the doting date is easier than Silver expected or maybe its because its Flint. Silver's attraction to the man is not a surprise to him, he was hooked the second he saw the redhead. Leaning back slightly, Silver is able to meet Flint's eyes and he feels the man's arms come to wrap around his waist holding them together. "In a moment we are going to walk over to Roger's," Silver is trying his hardest to listen to Flint but he can feel the heat and strength from the man's forearms through the jacket and it is making his brains come up with all sorts of scenarios to do with what Flint could do with that strength, he chastises himself and focuses back on Flint. "I'll start a conversation and eventually 'notice' that one too many of your buttons is undone, you'll hand you drink to Rogers to fix it and when he hands it back make sure you grip it from the bottom, that way his prints won't be smudged when you take it back."
Silver nods his head in understanding and waits for Flint to grab his drink before they walk over to Rogers.
"James Flint, I did not expect to see you here," Rogers says the minute he spots them. "And with a date too," Silver fights the shiver of disgust that wants to pass through him when Roger's eyes slide up and down him as if he was no more than a possession to be had. Instead, he smiles, charming if slightly dopey, making him as unthreatening as possible.
"And yet here I am," Flint responds, like the flick of a switch the gruff grumbling ginger has turned polite and charming, Silver finds his himself turning to look at Flint and the ginger must notice, as he pulls Silver tighter into his side. "How's business?" Flint asks and Silver filters out Roger's response, he watches Flints face, the charming mask is not something Silver has ever seen on Flint, usually, his face is made up in bored disinterest or anger.
Silver's not sure how much time flies by but eventually, he's shaken out of his reverie when Flint turns to face him.
"John, you might want to fix your shirt," Flint says and Silver glances down to his buttons as if unaware and feigns embarrassment.
"Dammit," Silver says before looking up to meet Roger's eyes. "Sorry would you mind holding this for just a second?" He says holding his drink out to Rogers who takes it automatically, while Silver fixes his shirt. Once sorted he looks to Flint, "Better?" He asks.
"Gorgeous," Flint responds, kissing his cheek, Silver can't help the blush that forms on his cheeks.
He looks back to Rogers standing patiently with his drink, his mouth twitching in vague amusement.
"Thank you," John says taking back his drink, holding it from the bottom.
"I must say, domesticity looks good on you James. I don't think ever seen you like this since Thomas," Rogers says, a strange glint in his eyes.
Silver notices the way Flint tenses up, clearly, Rogers struck a nerve there, before he can stop himself Silver curls himself further into Flint's side, one handshaking under the redhead's suit jacket to wrap around his waist, his fingers clinging to the hard muscle of Flint's hip. He feels some of the tension drop out of Flint's posture.
"Ten years is a long time, time enough for it to be right to move on, don't you think?" Flint responds.
"I couldn't agree more," Rogers says, holding Flint's gaze, something passes between them before Rogers smirks once again. "It was good to see you again James," he glances back over to John, looking him up and down once more. "A pleasure to meet you, John." And finally, he walks away.
John releases a breath he didn't know he was holding, "Well, that was interesting."
Without answering, Flint leads them over to the restrooms. "I'm going to get the prints off of this, keep an eye out," Flint says and goes inside the men's room, taking Silver's drink with him.
Silver stands guard, aiming to look as nonchalant as possible, time feels like it's dragging as he waits for Flint to finish what he's doing. Flint still hasn't come out the restroom when Silver sports Rogers heading their way. Before Rogers can spot him, Silver follows Flint inside the men's room.
"Rogers is heading this way," Silver says, luckily Flint is just finishing up, he grabs the prints and places them delicately in his inside breast pocket, he wipes the glass clean of the powder used to take the prints and places it next to the sinks before pushing Silver up against the counter just as Rogers walks in.
"Couldn't keep your hands off him for two seconds," he smirks. "Can't say I blame you either."
Silver once again represses the shiver of disgust and instead plasters on a fake grin of embarrassment before taking Flint's hand and whispers in the ginger's ear loudly enough for Roger's to hear him, "Take me home."
As Flint drags Silver out the restroom they both hear Roger's voice, "enjoy!"
xXx
Silver is standing on the roof of the building they are using as a base when Flint joins him. While Silver remains fully dressed, Flint has lost the suit jacket and his shirt sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, his tie loosened but still hanging around his neck.
Flint comes to stand beside him, but neither of them says anything. Instead, they look out into the city, the headlights of cars on the bridge passing by is calming as is the sound of life passing by beneath them.
"You did well, tonight," Flint says, his eyes fixed on the city.
"All I had to do was look pretty and smile, act the doting date," Silver responds, hoping his voice wouldn't betray his true feelings. After they did what they planned to do, rob Rogers of everything, Flint and he would part ways. A few weeks ago that felt like the best outcome, but after spending weeks with Flint, after tonight, Silver is no longer sure if he wants to part ways with the ginger.
"You distracted him well, the way you looked at me convinced him that we weren't a threat. You did better than I hoped and more," Flint replies, this time he turns his head to look at Silver.
"Who is Thomas?" Silver asks, he hasn't been able to stop wondering about who this man was, and why the mere mention of his name had such an effect on Flint.
Like before, Silver notices the way Flint tenses, not with anger though like last time but with something else. Flint turns back to look at the city, he sighs and closes his eyes before speaking.
"Thomas was my husband," he says, and that was not what Silver was expecting before he can say anything though, Flint continues. "Ten years ago, Thomas and I lived in London. I was still in the SBS and he was an MP. I was away for a few weeks on a mission, I had no contact with the outside world for the entirety of that time. When I came back Thomas was gone." Flint explains, his voice is hard.
"His plane crashed into the sea on his way to visit a very close friend of ours in Belgium. That's when I knew something wasn't right - Thomas never flew anywhere, he hated flying, he preferred the ferry, said it reminded him of me when we first met on a ship when I was a Lieutenant. There was a protected building in London that Rogers wanted to tear down and replace with his new business tower. Thomas was working to protect it, and he was winning. After he died, there was nothing to stop Rogers from tearing the building down."
"Rogers had Thomas killed and framed it to look like a plane crash, just to get his tower built…" a statement more than a question, Flint nods slowly. "This is as much about revenge for you as it is for Eleanor.
"They never found his body, and by the time I got back, I was too late for the funeral. Taking Roger's money… that's just the start. I have much more in store for Woodes Rogers. He will pay for taking Thomas away from me," Flint meets Silver's eyes and Silver can see the anger and fire dancing behind the redhead's blue eyes.
Silver can't bring himself to look away, his eyes locked on Flint's, they are standing so close, he doesn't remember moving closer to the slightly taller man. "You told Rogers ten years was time enough to move on, did you mean it?"
"I will never stop loving Thomas," he says and Silver hates the feeling inside him, his sadness at those words. He's finally able to look away. Flint's fingers lightly tilt Silver's head back to face him, making their eyes meet again. "Ten years is also a long time to be alone, he wouldn't have wanted me to cut myself off from anyone else for the rest of my life."
The look in Flint's eyes is not something Silver recognises but he thinks he knows what it is. Before he can second guess himself, he grabs Flint's tie and pulls him close enough to press their lips together in a kiss. Flint kisses back and Silver melts into him, his hands snaking up to wrap around Flint's neck, Flint's slide around his waist pulling them up against each other, one hand curving over Silver's ass pressing their hips tight together.
When Silver pulls back he presses his forehead against Flint's. "Whatever you need to do, I will help. I will follow you, where ever you go," he whispers, his voice barely audible but he knows Flint can hear him, he can feel the way Flint's hold on him tightens.
They are in this, together. Flint kisses him again and for now, the world falls away.